Sunday, September 25, 2016

The conference is wonderful to update information, catch up others and expand network. Accessible Arts NSW staff advocates artists with disabilities and any involved people such as peak bodies and supporters. There, as if a world value became "upside down and inside out," because usually discriminated people were the centre of the world! I felt so good. No one looked at my leg or sometimes wibble wobble walking. All the staff and participants, we smiled each other and nicely enjoyed chats. I often shared time with deaf people. I really did not mind deaf. My drawing amused deaf artists : Sue and Luke.

New friends : Sue (*above) is a photographer and a $6,000 grants recipient last year. Luke King is lovely and one of the presenters in a workshop! He isa visual artist (*so good at biro drawing!) and Auslan curator at National Gallery of Victoria. This is a part of his work.

Sue and Luke were very friendly. I could not understand Auslan at all. I was a deaf among them and Auslan interpreters. I only "twice" used papers and talked with Sue. Our healthy and rich quietness made me comfortable. All of us loved photos and drawings. We looked at our works, saying, "Ooohhhh!!" "Waaahhhh!!" laughed, giggled, smiled and enough! Art is universal language!!Sue introduced me to a Disability Discrimination Commissioner from Human Rights Commission (*I've loved that organisation for ages!) An Auslan Interpreter from Melbourne asked to pass on hello to my mentor Ann James. (*I'm always so proud of my mentors, Books Illustrated and Helen Chamberlin to anyone! They become a good conversation opening with others.) The interpreter remembered Books Illustrated and felt like visiting there. Btw, sometimes, people mistook me for a deaf at the conference.

However, the Arts Activated Conference did not cover the need of non English speakers. Sadly, only a few non English speakers participated it. When I addressed my concern about the lack of services for non English speakers, Emma agreed me and asked me, "Keep in touch." I told her, "I'm happy to offer a help in my capacity." Settlement Services International asked me lots of questions on how to advocate clients. He said, "Language barrier is another disability." In my mind, "No, non English speakers are not disabled. A social system has dysfunction," I thought though, listening to his thoughts. I hope that equal access of arts for anyone will come true. Mulitlingualism must be achieved for equal access.

Btw, do ye realise? In Auslan, a right hand is used more often than a left hand, I've found. An interpreter agreed me. We chatted over sign language. Each country has a different sign language. If we can have a universal sign language, it would be lovely.

Yey, my hero Pj says he is honoured to be a judge of an art competition with Padraig at Christmas.

An effective use of a social media platform is a very good networking strategy. I met the staff from Australian Museum. Their executive and I are good friends. So, we enjoyed a chat. I hope we will nurture our friendship.

Special thanks for all Accessible Arts NSW the staff and volunteers. You are the real heroes and made this wonderful event happen for us.

The conference refreshed me. I could get back to the picture book project and others and made a good progress. Thank you for a strong support. I feel my life gets richer! I want you, too, make your life rich! Cheers, ((Hugs)).

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

I've set up FB to show my art works and keep this blog to chat with you
over my thoughts etc. This is my facebook mark, a little one (*you can find it on the right side of this blog). The
cover photo of my facebook is your familiar work, a "girl feeding
birds."

I'm
still learning a lot how to do Facebook. Fortunately, many established
illustrators have helped me : Anne Spudvilas, Anna Walker and Elise Hurst. Of
course, Ann James and Blogger friends, too, supported this computer
hopeless. Oh, a computer scares me so much! I could not get how to
start up and --- embarrassing --- asked Helen Chamberlin for help. Sweet Helen
offered me a "first friend" and assisted me. Her face calmed down my
panic at that time (*I was nearly crying!). Phtew. Thank you for strong support. Aw, really without your help, I could not come along this journey in art. Btw, I attended Activated Conference (two days) 2016 run by Accessible Arts NSW. I'd report you what I thought and felt. I made new lovely friends and deaf. I do not know sign language though, we did not have language barrier at all. I'll post my sketches of Australian sign language / Auslan interpreters as well as key speakers or presenters. Have a nice day! Friends, Happy Painting!!

Special thanks to Books Illustrated (mentors), a book launcher, Margaret Hamilton, an author, Matt, an editor,Helen Chamberlin. Friends, thank you very much for warm cheers.

A big fan in Switzerland purchased "Moon" and sent me the so sweet comment. Really, Patrick's comment made me cry in joy. Patrick and I have been blogging friends for years. Oh, he gave me a very happy surprise!!!

Oh, Patrick and Christine! Oh, oh, oh!!! Your photo and comment made me cry in joy. What a beautiful couple you are and Moon! I'm one of the luckiest illustrators on the earth to have such a lovely fan like you. Thank you very much.
Best wishes, ((Hugs)), Sadami

Also, very happy and proud that Books Illustrated has included "Moon." The most prominent and celebrated Australian illustrators are on their list. It was one of my dreams to be on the site. A kind linguistics professor sent these photos from a bookshop. Wow, "Moon"! I owe this all to you, Friends. Thank you very much for your support. Have a wonderful and productive week. Friends, Happy Painting!

Monday, September 12, 2016

I sketched a wharf and a member's daughter in a Sydney Sketch Club meeting that visits places by an alphabetical order. "I" is for Iron Cove. A perfect day, a warm sunshine and a soft breeze. I played with a member's daughter in King George park. She got bored, whilst staying besides her mother. (*I perfectly understand her feelings!) We kicked a ball, etc (that was a good task for me!). Then, we came back to a spot where members were sketching under a big tree. I asked a princess to be my model. The princess was very happy and tried to stay still. "Oh, no. You don't need to stay still. You can move around. I do not mind your moving. Move. Yes, yes." said I. An idea hit me. "Would you mind telling me stories?" The princess delightedly told me her created fantasies with a favourite stuffed toy. She began to show very natural face expressions and a lovely body language. That was what I wanted to get! I did not know other members listening to our conversations. Later, members commented, "Such an interesting "story" being told in this picture, by a delightful subject." Children are all wonderful story tellers, I believe. I hope all of them will keep that creativity forever. Thank you for modelling, young lady!

I love sketching boats. Here we go! I made it in a short time. A member commented, "I cannot believe how you did this in about 15 minutes." In fact, I came very late for the meeting. I had only two hours. Busy Sadami enjoyed lunch, exploring a wharf, chats with members, sketching and playing with a child in a park! I made paintings in a big hurry.My brush danced well. My watercolour painting done in a short time seems more lively and better. Colourful buoys were fun to paint. I love playing with colours to depict water or an ocean.

The sketch club meeting cheered me up, when I had been working on a storyboard. It's important for an artist to go outside and enjoy sunshine and different circumstances. Oh, yes, I went to a secondhand book fair at Sydney uni on Sat (Saturday 10 to Wednesday 14 September).I bought Ronald Searle's "Ah, yes, I remember it well....". Does anyone know him? His eye is so good to find a subject and cook them up with pen. Hilarious. His drawing skills are amazing -- he can draw everything in a traditional methods. Particularly, his architecture impressed me. Then, he can create subjects into sophisticated caricatures! Only the shame is I cannot understand his French-English jokes. If you have a spare time, pop up the book fair for treasure hunting. You may find your favourite. Friends, Happy Painting!

Monday, September 5, 2016

I sketched around people in a market. We enjoyed shopping and music in lovely Sunday afternoon. A guitarist had an interesting guitar that was a hybrid of a classic guitar and an acoustic guitar = a classic guitar head, nylon strings, plus an electric acoustic guitar body. So, his guitar made softened sounds, not sharply metallic. Guitarists so much love their guitars. The busker carefully wiped his guitar and put it back to a case. I asked the guitarist, "If your girl friend asks you which is more important a guitar or her, what would you say?" He smiled and said, "Hope she would not ask such a question!" Hahaha! We laughed. When I had asked the same question to a close friend and guitarist, he replied, "Of course, a guitar!" Girls, we need to keep an eye on a boy friend's guitar?!

People in the market, all looked happy. Treasure hunting is pleasure. I got a pretty skirt and two lovely picture books : Chihiro Iwasaki's "Momoko and the pretty bird," and David Cox's, "The Drover's Dog." Oh, I love both. The drover's dog is hilarious and satirical. Once upon a time, a drover, Joe taught a dog, Sue some tricks. Ambitious Joe wanted for fame and went to big cities with clever Sue in the world. What would happen on Sue and Joe? The book tells what is more important than fame and money. I will enjoy this poor ?! artist life in Australia!I quickly sketched children with the least lines, less brush strokes and a few colours. My brushes danced well. I attach the sketches. I hope you'll enjoy them. When I am in slump, I cannot draw, especially, children. I was happy to see my hand rhythmically moving on paper.

I'll sketch more to create "roughs" for "My Dog Socks." Although it's challenging, it's fun. I will enjoy creating a picture book more than ever. Yey, I hope you, too, have a productive week! Thank you for cheers and visiting this blog.

About Me

Award winning fine artist, enthusiastic children's picture book illustrator, portraitist and event/conference sketcher, Sydney based. Greatest strength: "Empathic portraits". Spontaneous and beautiful. Outstanding speed and accuracy. In only a few minutes, my quick portraits capture models in any posture with any facial expression on spot. Figures appear lively and emotionally. My linguistic training enables me to analyse the text in detail and organise appropriate story boards for the target audience. Sociological methods and research skills are used to capture insights from a text. The work bridges between a text, reality and imagination. Style is broad from whimsical cartoons to fine art for multifarious subjects. Japanese naitve speaker. Enjoy my works in StyleFile